This application relates to refrigerant handling systems and, in particular, to systems for automatically recycling refrigerant from the air conditioning systems of automotive vehicles.
Typically, automotive air conditioning service systems are designed to recover refrigerant from the vehicle air conditioning system, remove impurities therefrom and recycle the conditioned refrigerant back to the vehicle after servicing of the air conditioner is complete, so as to minimize venting of refrigerant to atmosphere. Such service systems commonly include a compressor for withdrawing refrigerant in vapor form from the vehicle and compressing it, a condenser for liquefying the compressed vapor, a storage vessel for storing the recovered refrigerant and a vacuum pump for drawing a vacuum on the automotive air-conditioning system prior to recharging recycled refrigerant thereto.
In some prior refrigerant recycling systems there is no vacuum pump. Rather, the compressor is utilized as both a compressor and as a pump for drawing a vacuum on the automotive refrigeration system. This reduces the cost and complexity of the system, but also reduces the performance somewhat, since the compressor pump is not capable of drawing a vacuum to as low a refrigeration system pressure as could be achieved with a separate vacuum pump. While it is possible in such recycling systems to retrofit the system with a vacuum pump in order to improve performance, this is a relatively complicated procedure and would normally require a technician from the manufacturer to perform the installation at substantial cost to the customer.
This application discloses a refrigerant handling apparatus which avoids the disadvantages of prior apparatuses while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
An important aspect is the provision of an automatic refrigerant handling apparatus which permits simple installation of an optional device by a user without the need for professional technical assistance.
Another aspect is the provision of an apparatus of the type set forth which includes a processor operating under stored program control and which automatically recognizes the presence of the optional device to alter the operation of the apparatus accordingly.
A still further aspect is the provision of an apparatus of the type set forth, wherein the optional device is a vacuum pump.
Yet another aspect is the provision of a method of utilizing the apparatus of the type set forth.
Certain ones of these and other aspects may be attained by providing an automatic refrigerant handling apparatus comprising: a compressor pump having a suction port adapted to be coupled to an associated refrigeration system to be serviced and a discharge port, a condenser coupled to the discharge port, a refrigerant storage vessel coupled to the condenser, control circuitry including a processor operating under control of a stored program and coupled to the compressor pump for controlling operation thereof in accordance with a predetermined procedure for recycling refrigerant from the refrigeration system, and a connection jack connected to the control circuitry and adapted to mateably receive a connector of an associated optional device, the control circuitry including a sensing circuit for detecting connection of the connector to the jack, the stored program including a routine responsive to the sensing circuit for altering the predetermined procedure to utilize the optional device if connection of the connector to the jack is detected.